Excavating and conveying apparatus.



J. L. POTTER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.II, I913.

Patented Nbv. 28, 1916.

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WITNESSES:

J. L. POTTER.

EXCAVATING AND CONVEYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.H. 19x3.

Patented Nov 28, 1916.

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INVENTOR:

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I. L. POTTER.

EXCAVATING AND CONVEYING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED DEC-II, I9I3 A Patented Nov. 28, 1916.

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' THWTTED @TATEd PATENT UFFTFE JOSEPH L. POTTER, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

EXCAVATING AND CONVEYING APPARATUS.

neonate.

Application filed December 11, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrrr L. POTTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Excavating and Conveying Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

The invention relates to apparatus for hoisting and dumping earth or other substances, being especially adapted for excavating and hoisting and also for conveying earth or other substances from excavations, the invention having reference more particularly to the knock-down type of portable or movable apparatus for excavating trenches, more especially for sewers, and for conveying the earth removed from the trenches and discharging it into the trenches after completion of portions of the sewer structure as the work advances.

An object of the invention is to provide an improvement in excavating and conveying apparatus, more especially with respect to the excavating and hoisting features thereof to the end that the apparatus may be sim-' wide range of action in excavating operations.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved dumping drag bucket or scoop and improved means for the operation and control thereof.

A still further object is to provide im proved excavating and conveying apparatus of such construction as to be adapted to be operated by the minimum number of men, so that the work of sewer construction may be expeditiously and economically carried on.

The invention consists in improved means for operating and controlling a dumping drag bucket or scoop and also in an improved bucket or scoop especially adapted to be operated and controlled by the improved operating and controlling apparatus, the invention consisting further in the novel parts and in the combinations and arrangements of parts as hereinafter particularly described and further defined in the accompanying claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of excavating and conveying apparatus constructed substantially in accordance with the invention, in connection Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 28, 1916.

Serial No. 805,890.

with a section of trench; Fig. 2, a perspective view of an improved head sheave frame or carrier; Fig. 8, a fragmentary perspecoperation of the excavating apparatus which may be desirable to follow when the excavating implement is to be drawn away a considerable distance from the end of the excavation, and Fig. 8 is a perspective View of an improved tail sheave carrier.

Similar reference characters in the various figures of'the drawings indicate corresponding elements or features of construction herein referred to.

The numeral 1 in the drawings indicates the earth or ground and 2 an excavation therein; 3, 3, the sheathing usually required in deep trenches; 4, at, the horizontal timbers for staying the sheathing; 5, 5, the cross braces for supporting the sheathing, and 6, 6, the track rails on which the movable structure of the apparatus is mounted. In some cases the trench is not sufiiciently deep to require sheathing.

In the attainment of the objects of the invention a suitable engine car is employed which comprises a suitable platform 7 provi ded with wheels 8 and 8 and also similar wheels 9 and 9" adapted to he guided upon the track rails which are advanced as the work proceeds and support the car. The car comprises also an upright frame comprising essentially two side posts 10 and 11, cross beams 12, 12, and suitable braces, the upright frame being arranged near the rear end of the platform. A suitable hoisting e11- gine is mounted on the platform and being of well known construction requires no description in detail, the winding drums 13, i4: and 15 thereof only being shown as sufficient to an understanding of the invention, it being understood that each drum may be operated and controlled independently of the others. The upright frame comprises also two upright guide bars 16 and 17 supported on the rear end of the platform 7, and longi. tudinally arranged beams 18 and 19 supported by the guide bars and the beam 12, preferably in inclined position. Two guide sheaves and 21 are mounted upon the upright frame one of the sheaves being required to sustain the load. The sheaves are illustrated as being on two supporting shafts in order that they may be clearly seen, but obviously both may be supported on one shaft. An improved adjustably movable head sheave frame is provided which con1- prises two slides 22 and 23 vertically ar-- ranged on the inner sides of the two guide bars 16 and 17 respectively, two cross-bars 24 and 25 attached to the upper portions and similar bars and 27 attached to the lower portions of the slides and extending laterally beyond the slides in sliding contact with the opposite sides of the guide bars. The frame comprises also two projecting arms 28 and 29 provided with angle braces 30 and 31 re spectively, a shaft 32 on which a head sheave 33 is mounted being supported by the arms. The vertical adjustment of the head sheave and its frame is controlled by means of the excavating implement, as will hereinafter appear. The upright frame suitably supports two guide sheaves 34 and 35 adapted for guiding a cable or cables.

A trestle simply constructed is provided for use when required and comprises a suitable number of bents having legs 36, 36, and cap beams 37, 37 the legs being provided with flanged wheels 38, 38, mounted on the track rails, as is customary. Two stringers or track rails 39 and 40 are secured upon a plurality of bents and preferably are secured also to the beam 12 of the upright frame of the engine car. The end portion of the trestle distant from the engine car is provided with a suitable stationary tail block 41 which supports two tail sheaves 42 and 43. At a suitable distance from the engine car the trestle preferably is provided with two longitudinal beams ea and a5 which preferably extend from the cap beam of one bent forwardly and downwardly to the legsof the next adjacent bent, the lower portions of the beams supporting a shaft e6 on which a guide sheave or roller 47 is mounted, the higher portions of the beams supporting a shaft 48 on which a guide sheave or roller 49 is mounted. In some cases the trestle 'is provided with two standards 50 and 51 that are secured to thelegs of a bent and extend upward to a suitable height and support a shaft 52onwhich'a guide roller 53 is mounted so as to extend above the plane of the track rails 39 andO, the standards 7 supporting also a scraper 54 above the track rails.

' jaw fil, one sidebar of the bail being se.

cured to the side 56 by means of bolts (32 and 62, the other side being secured to the side 57 by means of bolts 63 and 63. Each side bar of the bail preferably has a number of bolt holes (3-1- and 6t and other holes ('35 and G5 to receive the securing bolts so that the effective length of the bail may be increased or decreased if desired, and each side of the bucket has bolt holes 66 and 66 therein to either of which one of the securing bolts may be shifted so that the angle of the bail relative to the bucket may be changed if desired. The bail is adapted for drawing the bucket forward in operation or for hoisting it, the cross-bar 60 being adapted to seat against the braces 30 and 31 of the head sheave frame so as to hold the bucket in proper position and also to control the vertical adjustment of the sheave frame. The rear end of the bucket comprises a suitable hinged door, and in one form the lower rear portion ('37 of the sides of the bucket is rounded and the door or drop bottom 68 is rounded correspondingly and connected with the bottom 5 by means of a suitable hinge pin 69, the outer side of the end portion of the door being provided with a stop bar 70. The rear portion of the bucket is provided with a movable rear bail comprising side bars 71 and 72 and a cross-bar 7 3, the side bars being pivotally connected to the sides 56 and 57 of the bucket by means of pivots 74 and 74', respectively. The cross-bar 73 preferably is provided with two eyes 75 and 75 to which two links 76 and 76' are respectively connected. Preferably the rear portion of the bucket is provided with a cover plate 77 extending from the door or bottom forward a suitable distance so as to retain the load when being hoisted. A cable 78 is connected to the winding drum 13 and extends over the sheave 20 and thence downward forward of the head sheave 33 and also under and in cont-act with the head sheave when the bucket is drawn backward from the engine car, the cable being connected to the forward hail of the bucket.

In order to advantageously and economically control the movement of the bucket back into the trench and also when being filled, a cable 79 is connected to the drum 14: and extends over the sheave 21 and thence about the sheave 42, thence over the sheave 19 and is connected to the links 76 and 7G, and when the cable is being wound onto the drum the cross-bar 73 extends across the exterior of the drop door or bottom and is stopped against the stop bar 7 0, the cross-bar 73 releasing the door or bottom when the bail is swung downward or forward. as is indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 5 and 7. Insome cases the cable 79 is brought over the sheave t7 and may be suitably guided in the trench at a suitable distance from the head of the trench, and

may operate between a number of the sheathing braces 5, 5, as seen in Fig. 7.

A suitable conveying car adapted for the purpose may comprise a platform 80 mounted on the. wheels 81 and 81 and similar Wheels 82 and 82 that are guided on the track rails or stringers 39 and 40, the platform being of suitable height so as to pass under the scraper 5a for removing the load from the car. A cable 83 is wound a num her of times about the winding drum 15 and extends over the guide sheaves 34 and 35, one lead of the cable extending over the guide roller 53 and about the guide sheave 43 and back to the conveying car to which it is connected, the other lead of the cable extending from the sheave 35 to the conveying car to which it is connected. Preferably the end of the conveying car toward the engine car is provided with a roller 8% whereby to swing the rear hail of the drag bucket so as to release the drop door or bottom of the bucket.

In some cases the drag bucket is slightly varied as to minor details, and comprises a bottom 85, sides 86 and 87, and a top 88, similar to the top 77, on its rear portion, the rear end of the bucket being squared and the forward end provided with a hoisting bail as hereinbefore described (see Figs. 3 and 7). A fiat door 89 is connected by means of hinges 90 to the bottom 85, the outer side of the door being provided with curved baring bars 91, 91, corresponding to the curvature of the door 68, a stop bar 70' being provided for stopping the rear bail which is constructed as hereinbefore described. In some cases the under portion of the rear bail, which is made suitably long, is provided with a runner 92 adapted to slide on the bottom of the trench in case the cable is slackened, for preventing sufficient downward movement of the bail to permit the door to become opened.

In order to guide the cable 79 when it is desired that the bucket operate at a suitable distance from the engine car, a portable tail block or sheave carrier is provided which comprises two sill members 93 and 93 which preferably are formed as runners and are connected together by means of cross-bars 94 and 94:, the latter having holes 95 therein to receive a securing cable or rope, the rear portion of the tail block having upward extending lug members 96 and 96, the forward portion having standards 97 and 97 thereon which support a shaft 98 on which a tail sheave 99 is mounted, the standards being provided with angle braces 100 and 100 respectively. Then the tail block is in operative position it rests on the bottom of the trench, and a cable 101 is connected to the cross-bar 94 and to a dead man 102 driven into the ground, and in some cases a beam 103 is placed against the front sides of the lug members 96, 96, and inserted into the earth at the sides of the trench. The cable 79 is passed around the sheave 99 so as to guide the drag bucket backward in the trench.

It will be observed that the curve of the door 68 and also the curved portion 91 of the door 89 are eccentric to the axis of the rear hail of the bucket, so that when the bail swings down the cross bar 73 of the bail quickly releases the door; and when the bail again swings upward it engages the door at a distance from the door hinge and acts as a cam or eccentric device to close the door.

In practical use the winding drums on the engine car are operated and controlled as is customary, and the drag bucket being in the trench or ready to begin making the excavation, the drum 13 is caused to wind up the cable 78 which drags the bucket forward so that the bucket becomes loaded, and when the cross bar of the front bail comes into contact with the head sheave frame, the frame being in lowered position as in Fig. 7, the bail forces the head sheave frame upward as the bucket is elevated and is stopped in elevated position, somewhat as shown in Fig. 1, the cable 79 being permitted to run from the drum 14. On operation of the drum 15 the conveying car is moved by the cable 83 toward the upright frame of the engine car. The rear bail extends downward and in some cases is sufficiently long to extend to a plane below the roller 84, the cable 79 extending downward from the bail, and the car is moved forward until it engages either the rear bail or the cable 79 and forces the bail forward so as to release the drop door or bottom of the bucket and permit the load of the bucket to drop onto the conveying car, the arrangement being such that the cable is flexed sufficiently to permit the middle portion of the car to be brought fairly under and receive the load, this relative position being automatic. The car being run out on the trestle to discharge the load, the drum 14 is operated while the cable 78 is permitted to run off the drum 13, so that the bucket descends and permits the head sheave 32 to also descend to lowered position, the bucket being drawn back into the trench to be again put in operation and loaded as before, the operation continuing, and as the work advances the tail sheave 99 and its supporting devices may be readily advanced, or they may be removed from the trench so that the cable 79 need not be guided by the sheave 47, but may extend downward from the sheave 49 to the rear hail of the bucket as indicated by broken lines in Fig. 1, this arrangement being espe cially preferable when making shallow ex cavations of relatively short length.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. Excavating and conveying apparatus including a drag bucket body part, a door hinged to the body part, and a bail pivoted to the body part for controlling the door and provided with a runner for enabling the bail to hold the door in closed position.

2. Excavating and conveying apparatus including a bucket having a hinged door and a pivoted bail normally holding the door in closed position, a. cable for hoisting the bucket, a supporting sheave for the cable, and movable means adapted to move the pivoted bail away from the door.

3. Excavating and conveying apparatus including a bucket having a hinged door and a pivoted bail normally holding the door in closed position, means for hoisting the bucket, means for engagement with the pivoted bail when the bucket is hoisted and cooperating to swing the bail away from and release the door, and a cable connected to the bail.

4. Excavating and conveying apparatus including a structure, a drag bucket body part having a relatively fixed bail, a hoisting cable connected to the fixed bail, means on the structure for operating the cable, a door hinged to the body part, a bail hinged to the body part for controlling the door, a controlling cable connected to the pivoted bail, and guide sheaves on the structure for guidingcthe controlling cable.

5. Excavating and conveying apparatus including a structure, a bucket having ahinged door and a pivoted ball normally holding the door in closed position, means on the structure for suspending the bucket, a cable connected with the pivoted bail, and means cooperating with the structure for causing the bail to swing from and permit the door toswing to open position.

6. Excavating and conveying apparatus includlng a bucket body part, a bail on one end of the part for suspending the. body part, a door hinged to the opposite end por tion of the body part, a bail pivoted to the body partand adapted to swing by gravity and close the door, and a cable connected with the pivoted bail for holding the bail off and permitting the door to swing open.

7. Excavating and conveying apparatus including a structure, a hoisting cable guided on the structure, a drag bucket connected to the cable and having a hinged door and a pivoted bail normally holding the door in closed position, a controlling cable connectedto the pivoted bail, and a plurality of sheaves on the structure for the controlling cable and enabling-the cable to draw or to lift the pivoted bail an the bucket therewith.

S. Excavating and conveying apparatus including a bucket comprising a bottom and two sides and also a top portion on the rear portions of the sides, a door hinged to the bottom and extending to the top portion and having a stop device thereon, a bail comprising two bars pivoted to the two sides respectively and a cross bar normally extending opposite the door and adapted to engage the stop device, and a bail adjustably secured to the sides.

9. Excavating and conveying apparatus including a structure, a hoisting cable guided on the structure, a drag bucket connected to the cable and having a hinged door and a pivoted bail normally holding the door in closed position, a guide sheave mounted on the structure, a tail sheave adjustably anchored below the structure independently thereof, and a controlling cable connected to the pivoted bail and extending about the guide sheave and the tail sheave.

10. Excavating and conveying apparatus including a structure, a bucket having a hinged door and a pivoted bail normally holding the door in closed position, a hoisting cable connected to the bucket, a supporting sheave on the structure for the cable, adjustable guiding means on the structure for the cable controlled by the bucket, a con trolling cable connected to the pivoted bail, a sheave on the structure for guiding the controlling cable, and a controllable movable device on the structure for engaging the pivoted bail or the controlling cable and swinging the bail away to permit the door to swing to open position.

11. Excavating and conveying apparatus including a drag bucket body part, a hoisting cable connected with the forward portion of the body part, a door hinged to the lower portion and extending upward against the rear portion of the body part, a stop bar fixed on the exterior of the door and facing downward, a bail pivoted to the body part and normally in contact with the stop bar to enable the bail to lift the rear end of the bucket and control the angular position thereof relative to the horizontal, and a cable connected to the pivoted bail.

12. Excavating and conveying apparatus including a structure, a drag bucket body part, hoisting means supported by the structure for operating and hoisting the body part, a door hinged to the lower portion and extending upward against the rear end of the body part, the door having a curved exterior, a bail pivoted to the body part and adapted to swing eccentrically to or from the curved exterior of the door for controlling the door, a cable connected to the bail, and guide sheaves on the structure for guiding the cable.

13, Excavating and conveying apparatus including a bucket body part, means connected with the body part for movably operating and also hoisting the body part, a rear door hinged to the body part, a bail pivoted to the body part and adapted to swing into holding connection with the door or to swing away from and release the door, a cable connected with the bail for holding the bail to the door and preventing release of the door, and guiding means for the cable.

14. Excavating and conveying apparatus including a bucket comprising a bottom and two sides fixed on the bottom, the sides having each a pivot, a bail comprising two bars connected to the pivots respectively and a cross-bar normally extending opposite the rear ends of the bucket sides, and a door hinged to the bottom and normally extending against the rear ends of the sides of the bucket, the outer side of the door having a stop device fixed thereon to be engaged by the bail and having also a curved portion between the stop device and the hinged portion of the door, the curvature of the door portion being eccentric to the axis of the pivots.

15. Excavating and conveying apparatus including a supporting structure, a hoisting engine on the front end portion of the structure, a tail sheave on the opposite end portion of the structure, an upright frame on the structure between the engine and the tail sheave, a supporting sheave on the upright frame, a head sheave adjustably mounted on the upright frame, a drag bucket operable under the structure, a hoisting cable connected with the engine and the forward portion of the bucket and extending over the supporting sheave and under I topics of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). (2. 

